Nathan t



(No Model.)

N. T. LAOKEY.

Washing Machine.

No... 232,135. Patented Sept. 14,1880.

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mPETERS. PHOTO-LITHQGHAPHER. WASRINGTQN. n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

NATHAN 'l. LAGKEY, OF BROVVNSBURG, VIRGINIA.

WASHING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,135, dated September 14, 1880.

Application filed March 4, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, NATHAN T. LACKEY, of Brownsburg, in the county of Rockbridge, Virginia, have invented a new and useful VVashing-Machine, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in the pounder washing-machine; and it consistsina rotating plunger or pounder with central and right-an gled recesses in the face thereof, formed by airtight partitions, the lower edges of which form the face proper of the plunger, so arranged that when the plunger is rapidly forced down upon the clothes to be washed the air is compressed in the recesses by the pressure on the water and clothes, and when the plunger is raised with a slight rotary motion the clothes are displaced and the water is forced by the compressed air from the several recesses throughout the mass of clothes; also, in a racked arm gearing with a spur-wheel through which the plunger is revolved in a horizontal position, all of which will more clearly appear in the following specification and accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective of the complete machine, showing the plunger, rack, spurwheel, and tub. Fig. 2 is aplan of the face of the plunger, showing the chambers or recesses therein. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the plunger and appliances, showing the poundershaft, loop-joint, spur-wheel, and rack. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the pounding device when raised out of the tub and swung back on its hinges. Fig. 5 is a section of the tub, showing the second bottom.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A is a tub-stool resting on short legs d d. From one side of this stool two standards, D D, secured at the seat by braces H H and strengthened laterally by cross -beams Y E, rise to a proper height. Into these standards, near their top, is pivoted a rocking beam, F, to which two tapering arms or levers, I I, running horizontally therewith and parallel to each other, are secured. These tapering arms or levers I I terminate in handles for working the clothes-pounder J.

At a suitable distance from the rocking beam F, and connecting the levers I I, are

(No model.)

two substantial cross-bars, M M, which, besides joining together the levers I I, serve as bearings for the journal-boxin gs, in which the pounder-shaft L is secured and revolves, as well as a rest for the racked arm 0.

Founder-shaft L is a bar of metal with an eye at the lower end, which passes up through washer p, placed on the under side of crossbar M, and through cross-bars M M, terminating in a screw-thread for a nut. On the upper end of this shaft, just above the cross-bar M, secured by a key or otherwise, is a spurwheel, 0, kept in place by a thumb screw or nut, s.

The racked arm 0, governed by spring Q, is pivoted at one end to standard W, which rises from and is secured to cross-beam E, and, running with the levers I I, passes under guide 1, rests on cross-bar M, and gears with spurwheel O, to which it communicates a rotary motion when the levers I I are raised or lowered, thus giving to the pounder a rotary motion horizontally while it is being worked vertically.

Pounder J is in the form of a cross of four arms of equal length at right angles to each other, made hollow and intersected by partitions, so as to form therein a series of deep airtight recesses, T, left open at the bottom, but covered above with cap it, which has a periphery equal to the diameter of the cross, the whole surmounted bya four-armedbracket, which terminates in a single pounder arm having a toggle, eye, or hook at the end, whereby it is connected with pounder-shaft'L, from which it is suspended, so that when in use the face of the pounder will retain a horizontal position.

A tub, B, provided with a second and grated bottom, K, is placed on the tub-stool,'the clothes'to be washed prepared, and the levers I I brought toahorizontal position, so as to bring the pounder within the tub, the diameter of which should correspond with the diameter of the pounder-cap a to prevent the water sloshing out. Then by raising and lowering the lever-arms the pounder is brought down on the clothes with a rotary motion, thus pounding and rubbing them at the same time. As the pounder is raised off the clothes again by a rotary motion the clothes are displaced, so

that all parts of the mass are in time brought into direct contact with the pounder. As the pounder is brought rapidly down upon the water and clothes the air in the chambers T is compressed sufficiently to force the water throughout the mass.

Having now fully described my invention, what 1 esteem as new, and desire to protect by Letters Patent, is-

1. I11 combination with pivoted levers I I, the racked arm 0, pivoted to standard W, spring Q, guide 1", spur-wheel O, pounder-shaft L, and clothes pounder J, substantially as shown and described.

2. Pounder J, suspended by a four-armed bracket terminating in an eye or hook in combination with pounder-shaft L, spur-wheel O, racked arm 0, pivoted at one end to stand ard W, guide 1', rest M, levers I I, secured to and working on rocker-beam F, having bearings in standards D D rising from and connected With washing-stool A, substantially as shown and described.

NATHAN T. LAOKEY.

Witnesses:

GEO. W. EeLnsToN, CHARLES D. FREEMAN. 

